Lifenet Insurance Co. has said it will allow policyholders to designate their same-sex partners as their life insurance beneficiaries. The Japanese company currently restricts the scope of beneficiary designation to legal spouses and relatives within two degrees of relationship, as well as to opposite-sex partners in de facto relationships under certain conditions.

The move comes after Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward put an ordinance into force in April to allow the municipality to certify same-sex partnerships as equivalent to marriage. The ward began accepting applications this week. Read more via Japan Times